I think most of us by now have realized that the COVID-19 pandemic is much more than just a disease affecting us physically. There’s a bigger picture to it, which is taking direct tolls on our socio-economic, educational, political as well as mental well-being. It is funny how we once admired the idea of long vacations. Now, we are forced to stay home – a forced vacation, one can say – with our employment, money, and education at stake.
While many of us have resorted to the idea of being productive through cooking/baking, painting, singing, etc. – just to keep ourselves sane till this pandemic ends. But being born in a rat-racing society, we can no longer find peace or depend solely on our hobbies, even at a time like this.
Yes, technology and COVID-19 gave rise to a digital pandemic. The world does not function within four walls anymore. Instead, it lives in the void of cyberspace. Thus, we are supposed to keep our work and education going – because our life is not suspended, rather transformed. We are supposedly functioning in the pre-pandemic model of living, through our digitalized screens. Recent graduates are pinging on the screens of employers with their brand new pdf degrees, and students are struggling with online examinations, classes as well as internships; quite ironic to the current unemployment scenario, and questionable digitalized education system.
However when I said ‘our’ life is not suspended, I am referring to a privileged minority. The fruits of digitalization are not guaranteed to all, especially in developing nations. Work from home and online education is a privilege to few who have proper internet and gadgets, along with a healthy environment at home; merely 8% of India’s student population can get educated online. Paradoxically, the world is quite aware of this imbalance in the graph.
Yet the rat-race remains persistent, and we continue to fall prey to it. We have to continue our thrive towards making an A1 resume – with our degrees and numerous work experiences – even during a global crisis.